I'll miss you
by jamblute
Summary: SPOILERS: After the events at Castle Oblivion, Saïx is tasked with breaking the news to all the members of Organization XIII— including Demyx. (Cover is official game art.)


His boots brushed the grey-white floor of Saïx's office while Demyx just... Swung his feet and waited to be yelled at until he died. Again. Maybe he could open a corridor in time to run, but ennnngh... Living up to his title, the Melodious Nocturne hummed an aimless song instead.

 _He'd just catch me anyway, then he'd be reeeaally mad. Like berserker mad._

"Quiet, Number IX," Saïx ordered from outta nowhere.

"Eek!" Demyx recoiled, covering his head with arms. One second, two second... Safe yet? He peeked through an opening over his shoulder, that was brave enough. Gold eyes narrowed at him around the big X on Saïx's face, and... He put his arms down, shrinking in the seat. "Uhh, yeah. Quiet. Got it."

"Clearly not."

Saïx glided and kinda stomped to the other side of his desk at the same time (how did he do that?), moonlight from Kingdom Hearts pouring into the giant windows behind him.

Like pretty much everything else in this place, his desk was barren. Well, except for a stack of papers in a filing stand and a couple pens. Next Christmas, Demyx was gonna get him a stress doll. Maybe seven of 'em. For symbolism.

"Heh-" The rest of his laugh died in a fake cough that Saïx bought... Probably 'cause he had something worse to say to Demyx. "Engh."

"We've received a report from Castle Oblivion. You would do well to submit those too," he warned, looming over the desk. Couldn't not bring that up, huh? And why didn't he just sit, this'd be a lot less scary if he just... Didn't talk?

 _no, no, that would be waaaay worse_

"Umm, okay?" Saïx's face was a wall, like trying to read blank sheet music. What'd that have to do with Demyx? He was recon, not science or... Whatever they sent Marluxia, Larxene, and Axel there for. Probably fighting, another thing he was so not the right guy for. Still.

"Everyone stationed at the castle has been eliminated." A stiff smile froze on Demyx's face and he waited for a breathless beat. Nothing changed. The moon kept on shining and Saïx kept that dead stare. Leaning forward, Demyx kinda felt like he was gonna throw up.

"Wha..." This had to be a bad joke, Saïx would say that just to be mean. No way everyone was gone! "Wait, wait," Demyx stalled and swatted the air in front of him. Could you get rid of bad thoughts that way? "Everyone's eli... Gone, so who sent you a report?"

"Number II, not that it's any concern of yours."

Now that it wouldn't make a difference, Saïx sat down. His desk might as well have been a canyon, nothing was reaching Demyx right. "You will need to apply yourself, Number IX."

He flopped theatrically back into the chair, dropping his arms on the armrests. No hearts, no emotions... Demyx wasn't supposed to care. Those were the rules.

"We have been reduced to half our numbers," Saïx droned on with moonlight bearing down on him like a weird kinda spotlight. Demyx got to wondering if Saïx kept notecards too, only hidden under the desk for extra special bad news.

 _Waaaaiiit... He'd have to feel bad about it to do that. Hmm._

"...and Number VIII isn't here to protect you from your mistakes." At some point, he'd stopped listening and from how Saïx was clenching his jaw, Demyx was preeeetty sure that was obvious.

"Mmgh." Demyx pouted and that just kinda made X-face more annoyed. What was he supposed to do here? He wasn't the guy with the plan.

And good ol' Number VII just glared straight on through him, heartless as he claimed they all were. Or maybe he really believed the lie?

 _Ouch._

"Hey..." Tapping his fingertips together, Demyx wandered into dangerous waters. Metaphorically. "Weren't you guys friends?"

Aaand there it was.

Demyx gulped and almost stared back down, but that burning glower locked him right in place. W-was he nervous sweating? Ewww...

"Obviously Axel believed you needed that information," Saïx forced out. Ticking him off this close to the moon, what was Demyx even thinking? Bad bet, don't go against house, that's what Luxord would say. "But your focus should be on your work. We don't have room for slacking off, Number IX. Remember that."

"Okay, but hey-" Demyx stopped at the soft fwoosh of a dark corridor behind him. "Who's that?" Just an open corridor sitting between him and the way out. No one else there, so who...? "Oooh."

"You are dismissed." Saïx insisted, standing up again. Kinda guessed he was gonna throw Demyx through if he didn't leave soon and that was a good enough reason to get up too.

"Alright, alright," he whined and shuffled backwards to the swirling purple-black portal. "But y'know..."

"Dismissed," he repeated and just a liiiittle bit, Demyx could see his shoulders tense up.

"Got it," he squeaked and backed through the rest of the way, finding himself alone in the Grey Room. He stood there for a sec, just thinking.

Larxene, Marluxia, Vexen, Zexion, Lexaeus... Axel... All dead. He didn't even know why. And what'd Saïx tell him personally for? He scratched his head and stared out into the nighttime sky they always had at the Castle.

"Aww man," he complained to no one. There wasn't even gonna be a funeral. "I'm really gonna miss you." No heart, no emotions... Not yet, anyway. Saïx was super lucky.


End file.
